Steam and vacuum pump.



R. E. CECIL & G. R. WASSELL. STEAM AND VACUUM PUMP. APPLIUATION rum)NOV. 4. 190a.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 CeciZ 641101 we a munzw 1 oammco. PNHOMXNOGRAPHERS. vumnmw. c, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFTCE.

ROBERT E. CECIL, OF AMBRIDGE, AND CLIFFORD R, WASSELL, OF SEWICKLEY,

PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM AND VACUUM PUMP.

Application filed November 4, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that we, Ronnn'r E. CECIL and mrronn R. \Vassnnn, citizensof the United States, residing at Ambridge and Sewickley, respectively,in the counties of Beaver and Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and useful Steam and Vacuum Pump, of which the followingis a specification.

(Eur invention relates to means for elevating water or other liquids,and particularly to that class of pumps used for this purpose, in whicha vacuum is caused within a chamher by the coiulensation of steam, theatmospheric pressure forcing water into this exhausted chamber, steamthen being readmitted to the chamber to force the water therein up to ahigher level through a discharge pipe.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a novel, simple andeffective structure of this character, which will be automatic. whichwill require practically no attention. and in which a maximum of watershall be pumped with a minimum of heat unit applied to the steamgenerator.

A further object is to provide an apparatus which is particularlyadapted for do mestic purposes, as for instance, country or suburbanplaces where local water systems are necessary.

()ther minor objects are to provide for a proper condensation of thesteam at the proper time. to prevent the condensation of steam prior tothe filling of the pump chamber, and to provide for a regularintermittent supply of water to the generator.

Several en'ibodiments of the invention are disclosed in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional yiew through one formof construction. Fig. 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scale of theupper portion of the water supply means and steam pipe connection forthe generator. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through amodified form of construction.

Fig. -t is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through still anotherform of structure.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the check valve used in the formshown in Fig. 1. Fig. (3 1s a fragmentary section of the upper end of apump chamber showing a differentmeans for securing a supply of water tothe generator at regular intervals.

Similar relbrenee nlu'nerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

Referring first to the embodiment disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, a pumpbarrel or chamber '7 is provided, which is preferably cylindrical inform, and has a closed top and bottom. A stand pipe 8 forming togetheran intake and discharge pipe has a lateral connection 9 at the lowerportion of the chamber, and is provided with upwardly opening checkvalves 10 ar 'anged above and below said connection. The lateral pipe 9is preferably extended through the bottom of the chamber into the lowerportion thereof and is covered by an inverted cup 11 that constitutes acondenser, as hereinafter explained. A steam generator is employed inthe form of a closed casing 12 having a bottom 13 that is preferablyribbed or provided with projections 14 to increase the heating surfacethereof. From the top of this steam generator extends a steam-conductingpipe 15 that projects through the bottom of the chamber 7 and terminateswithin said chamber, just short of the top thereof. The portion of thesteam-conducting pipe that is within the chamber, is preferablysurrounded by an insulator tube 16 connected at its upper end to theupper end of the pipe, as shown at 17, the lower end of the tube beingsecured to the bottom of the chamber, as illustrated at 18 the spacebetween the tube and pipe thus being open to the outer air. WVithin theupper portion of the pump chamber 7 is a supply reservoir 19 for thesteam generator, this supply reservoir being in the form of a cylinderopen at its upper end and having an inlet port 20 in its lower end. Asiphon pipe 21 has its short leg 22 arranged in the lower portion ofreservoir 19, while the long log 23 of the siphon pipe extendslongitudinally downward within the steam-conducting pipe 15. This longleg is preferably surrounded by a heat insulating tube 2 1. In this formof construction, the inlet port 20 of the reservoir 19 is preferably ofconsiderable size, and an automatic valve 25 controls the same, thisvalve opening downwardly and having a guide stem 26 that projectsthrough the port. The valve is carried by an arm 27 depending from afioat- 28, the arm being slidably guided in a bracket 29 secured to oneside of the reservoir. A plug 30 is preferably located in the top of thepump chamber for the purpose of filling the same prior to first startingthe pump. The operation of the mechanism is substantially as follows.For domestic purposes, the steam generator 12 is placed in an ordinarycooking range or other stove, though heat may be applied in any waydesired. The pump chamber 7, together with the generator 12 and thevarious pipes are first filled with water through the opening normallyclosed by the plug 30. Heat is then applied to the generator and as soonas steam has been formed, the same will pass upwardly through the pipe15 into the upper portion of the chamber 7. The water in said chamberwill consequently be forced out, and as the lower check valve 10 in thepipe 8 will be closed, it must be elevated through the upper portion ofsaid pipe. As soon as the water has been expelled, the steam that is nowlocated in the chamber 7 will be condensed by the loss of heat duringexpansion and by contact with the relatively cold inverted cup 11,thereby causing a partial vacuum that will be destroyed by the waterentering through the lateral pipe 9. The water will thus fill thechamber 7, and consequently enter through the inlet port 20 of thereservoir 19 until the float 28 rises and causes the valve 25 to closesaid port. When this occurs, the siphon has begun to operate andconsequently the small jet of Water flowing through said siphon will beimmediately turned into steam and the expelling action will be repeated.The size of the reservoir 19 is of course depend cut on the size of thechamber 7, and the height to which the water is to be elevated. Thisrevervoir is furthermore constructed of such a size that the water willnot be entirely expelled from the pump chamber. Consequently theinverted cup 11 will always remain full of water, as shown in Fig. 1,and will act as a condenser to more quickly effect the changes from theexpelling to the intake action.

In Fig. 3, a still different form of construction is shown. The pumpchamber therein is designated 31, and the stand pipe 32 has an offsetconnection 33 therewith. A steam generator 34, located below the chamber31, has a steam pipe connection 35 there with, said connection havingits upper portion inclosed in an insulating pipe 36. A supply reservoir37 is located in the upper portion of the chamber 31, and has a smallinlet port 38 in the bottom ,thereof. A siphon 39. leads from thereservoir 37 to the generator, and has its long leg located in thesteam-conducting pipe and surrounded by a similar pipe 40. A rapidcondensation of the steam in this embodiment of the invention is securedby a jet from the pipe 32 formed by a nozzle 41 leading from said pipeabove the check valve 32 into the lower portion of the chamber. It willbe evident that the action of this structure is substantially the sameas that already described. The only difference is in the form of thecondenser and the elimination of the valve controlling the inlet 38 tothe supply reservoir. In the structure shown in Fig. 3, the port 38 mustbe considerably smaller than that disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.

A preferable form of our invention is shown in Fig. 4, and we have foundit in practice to be of great value, operating perfectly and elevatingwater from a depth of a hundred feet. This type of pump is adapted foruse where the suction is greater than say 20 or 25 feet as the pumpchamber can be immersed in the water in a well or placed anywhere lessthan the above mentioned distance above the surface of the water. Inthis form of construction, the chamber is designated 57, the intake pipe58 being connected to the bottom of the chamber 57 and having a checkvalve 60 therein, the discharge pipe 59 extending from the lower portionof said chamber through the top thereof and having a check valve 61. Thesteam generator is designated 62 and has a steam-conducting pipe 63leading from its top downwardly to the top of the pump chamber 57provided with a check valve 63 shown in detail in Fig. 5. The seat forthis valve is set on an incline so that the valve is normally open butcloses when the pressure is greater in pipe 63 than in the generator.The generator has an upstanding neck 64 carrying a supply reservoir 65connected with the discharge pipe 59 by a lateral pipe 66. In this pipeis located a controlling valve 67 and a check valve 68. A siphon isemployed, the long leg 69 of which extends downward through the neck 64Ltoward the generator and is preferably surrounded with the insulatingpipe 69, while the short leg in the form of a hood 70, is arrangedwithin the reservoir. A draft equalizing pipe 71 communicates with theneck 64 of the generator and with the upper portion of the reservoir 65.A condensing jet pipe 59 may be effectively connected with the dischargepipe 59 which will operate in the same man ner as the pipe 41 of Fig. 3.The action of this structure is as follows. A small quantity of water isdischarged by the siphon into the steam generator, and the steamproduced thereby, passing down the pipe 63, expels the water out of thepump chamber 67. Condensation then starts, and as soon as the pressureis relieved, in the steam generator, water is caused to flow into theresernecessary to allow the siphon to discharge,

as otherwise a higher vacuum would be formed in said reservoir than inthe steam generator.

In all the forms of our device so far described, a siphon has been usedto secure an intermittent supply of water to the generator, but in Fig.(3, we show a float actuated tipping bucket for the same purpose. Inthis figure, 8O designates the pump chamher and 81 the steam conductingpipe leading from the generator. The generator supply pipe 82 issurrounded by the insulating pipe 83 and provided at its upper end witha tunnel shaped mouth 8- For the purpose of intermittently introducingwater into the pipe 82, we use an automatically actuated tipping bucketwhich is preferably tipped by the lifting power of a float, and as shownin Fig. (3, consists of a bucket 85 having three sides and hinged to theupper edge of the funnel 82. To the underside of the bucket is attacheda float 86. It will be seen that when the water in the pump chamberreaches the top thereof, it will begin to flow into the bucket 85, untilthe buoyancy of the float counterbalances the weight of the bucket, whenthe bucket will rise and pour its contents into the funnel 84. Steamwill then be generated in the heater and the water in S1 forced out inthe usual manner.

In actual practice we have found our pumps to be very simple andeffective. Their advantages reside in their simplicity of construction,which permits them to be made of ordinary pipe fittings at a low cost,the positiveness of the operation and particularly in the small quantityof water used for generating steam and the small amount of steamnecessary, and consequently the small amount of heat required beneaththe bottom of the generator. This is of particular importance in pumpsof this kind.

Another feature of our invention lies in the means for condensing thesteam within the pump chamber which permits a relatively rapid action ofthe pump.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as pew, anddesire to secure by Letters Pate11t,is:--

1. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet and dischargepipes communicating with said pump chamber having check valves, a steamgenerator, a steam pipe connecting the generator with the chamber, awater conductor carrying water to the generator, and automatic means forintermittently directing into the generator a predetermined quantity ofwater less than the cubical contents of the generator to instantaneouslyflash the whole of such water into steam.

2. A. steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber. inlet anddischarge pipes communicating with said pump chamber having checkvalves, a steam generator, a steam pipe connecting the generator withthe chamber, a reservoir located above and connected with the generatorto supply the same, and a "alve-controlled by-pass be tween thedischarge pipe of the pump and reservoir to supply water to the latter.

3. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet and dischargepipes communicating with said pump chamber having check valves, a steamgenerator, a steam pipe connecting the generator with the chamber, awater conductor leading to the generator, and a reservoir arranged tointermittently receive a predetermined quantity of water and toautomatically discharge through the said conductor when the waterreaches a predetermined level in the reservoir.

4. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet and dischargepipes communicating with said pump chamber having check valves, a steamgenerator, a steam pipe connecting the generator with the chamber, awater conductor leading to the generator, and automatic means for 'intermittently directing a definite quantity ot water into said generatorby way of said conductor, said means located above the generator to feedthe water by gravity thereto and automatically started into operation bythe water reaching a predetermined level.

A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet and dischargepipes communicating with said pump chamber having check valves, a steamgenerator, a steam pipe directly connecting the generator with thechamber, a water supply pipe carrying water to the generator, areservoir connected to the upper end of the supply pipe, and anautomatic valve admitting water to said reservoir.

6. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, means through whichwa- &

ter is alternately admitted to and discharged from the chamber, a steamgenerator, a pipe for conducting steam from the generator to thechamber, a reservoir connected with the generator to supply the same,and supply means connected with the reservoir for supplying waterthereto independently of the filling of the pump chamber.

7. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet and dischargepipes communicating with said pump chamber having check valves, a steamgenerator, a steam pipe connecting the generator with the chamber, awater supply pipe connecting with the generator and with a reservoir,and a siphon on the upper end of said pipe, the short leg of whichextends into said reservoir and the long leg connects to said supplypipe.

8. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet and dischargepipes communicating with said pump chamber having check valves, a steamgenerator, a

steam pipe connecting the generator with the chamber, a water conductingpipe supplying water to the generator, a reservoir into which water issupplied intermittently and a siphon at the upper end of said conductingpipe and adapted to be operated when the Vater has reached a certainlevel within said reservoir.

9. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet and dischargepipes communicating with said pump chamber having check valves, a steamgenerator, a steam pipe connecting the generator with the chamber, areservoir above the generator, a fine bore pipe having its upper enddisposed in the reservoir to receive water therefrom and its lower enddisposed to supply the generator, and means for controlling the supplyof water to the reservoir.

10-. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet anddischarge pipes from said pump chamber having check valves, a steamgenerator, a steam pipe connecting the generator with the chamber, meansfor supplying water to the generator, a reservoir, siphonic means forconducting water from the reservoir to the generator, and means forperiodically condensing the steam within the pump chamber.

11. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet anddischarge pipes from said pump chamber having check valves, a steamgenerator located above the pump chamber, a steam pipe connecting thesteam generator with the upper end of the chamber, an upstanding neck onsaid generator, a water reservoir carried on the end of said neck, apipe for supplying water to the reservoir, and a siphon located withinthe reservoir, the long leg of which extends through said neck into thegenerator.

12. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, an intake pipeleading to the lower end thereof, a discharge pipe arranged to receivewater from the lower end of the chamber, and then upward therefrom, asteam generator having a steam pipe connected with the upper end of thepump chamber, said generator having an upwardly extending neck, a waterreservoir located in said neck and having a supply pipe connected to thedischarge pipe and provided with a check valve, and a siphon in thereservoir, the long leg of which extends downward into the generator.

13. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, an intake pipeextending into the lower end of the pump chamber, an outlet pipearranged to receive water from the lower end of the pump chamber, checkvalves in said pipes, a steam generator having an upwardly extendingneck and connected by a steam conducting pipe to the upper end of thepump chamber, said pipe being provided with a check valve which isnormally open, a water reservoir located in the upper end of thegenerator neck, an equalizing pipe leading from the upper portion ofthis reservoir into the space inclosed within said neck, a water supplypipe extending from the discharge pipe and leading into the waterreservoir, said pipe being provided with a check valve, and a siphonlocated within the reservoir, the long leg of which extends downwardlyinto the generating chamber.

let. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, a steam generatorlocated above the pump chamber and connected to the upper end thereof bya steam conducting pipe provided with a normally open check valveadapted to close against pressure within the pump chamber, a water inletpipe leading into the lower end of the pump chamber, a discharge pipeopening into the lower portion of the pump chamber, both of said pipesbeing provided with upwardly opening check valves, said generator beingformed with a body having an upwardly extending neck, a reservoirsupported within said neck, an equalizing pipe leading from the upperend of the reservoir through the bottom thereof, into the space inclosedwithin said neck, a supply pipe passing through said reservoir andconnected with the generator, an inverted cup placed over the upper endof the said pipe and forming therewith a siphon, and a water supply pipeconnecting the discharge pipe with the reservoir and provided with aninwardly open ing check valve.

15. In a steam and vacuum pump, a pump chamber, intake and dischargepipes having connection with the pump chamber, a steam generator, asteam pipe connecting the generator with the upper end of the pumpchamber, means for intermittently supplying to the generator a definitequantity of water less than the cubical contents of the generator, andmeans for condensing the steam within the chamber.

16. In a steam and vacuum pump, the combination of a pump chamber, aninlet pipe, a discharge pipe, a steam generator, a reservoir, means forconducting a predetermined quantity of water from the reservoir to thegenerator automatically, means for automatically discharging water fromone of the pipes to the reservoir, and a steam pipe between thegenerator and pump.

17. A steam and vacuum pump including a pump chamber, inlet anddischarge pipes communicating with said pump chamber, a steam generator,a steam conducting pipe connecting the generator with the chamber andautomatically measuring water-supplying means for feeding apredetermined amount of water to the generator.

18. In a steam and vacuum pump, a pump chamber, inlet and dischargepipes communicating with said pump chamber, an intermittently operatingsteam generator having means of steam communication with the chamber andmeans of communication with a source of water, and an auxiliaryautomatically operating device for measuring and supplying substantiallyuniform predetermined quantities of water to the generator at thesuccessive operations of the pump.

19. In a steam and vacuum pump, the combination of a pump chamber havingan inlet and a discharge, an intermittently opcrating steam generator, asteam pipe directly connecting the generator and pump chamber, and meansfor conveying a predetermined amount of water to the generator from asource independent of the filling of the pump chamber.

20. In a steam and vacuum pump, the combination of a pump chamber havingan inlet and discharge, an intermittently operating steam generator,means for supplying a predetermined amount of water to the generatorfrom a source independent of the pump chamber, and a valve between thegenerator and pump chamber in said conveying means to prevent a passageof water from the pump chamber to the generator.

21. In a steam and vacuum pump, the combination of a pump chamber havingan inlet and a discharge, a steam generator, means for feeding apredetermined measured quantity of water to the generator, means forconveying steam only from the generator to the pump chamber, and a valvebetween the generator and pump chamber in said conveying means topreven't the passage of water from the pump chamber to the generator.

In testimony, that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have heretoa'tlixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT E. CECIL. CLIFFORD R. \VASSELL.

Vitnesses SAMUEL R. MomusoN, II. J. SAMUELTAN.

